Jail term ‘manifestly inadequate’

By Elizabeth Byrne

Updated August 04, 2012 10:53:23

The ACT Court of Appeal has been told a jail sentence imposed on a man found guilty of sexual assault is manifestly inadequate.

The ACT’s Director of Public Prosecutions Jon White is challenging a sentence imposed on Craig Paul Meyboom, 36, particularly in relation to two counts of sexual assault against a woman he attacked in April 2006.

Meyboom was also sentenced for two assaults and three acts of indecency on other victims.

The court heard in one instance he grabbed a girl by the neck and told her to tell her friend to leave or he would kill her.

Mr White told the court the five year sentence imposed for the sexual assault of another victim was inadequate given the maximum term of 12 years.

Mr White has told the ACT Court of Appeal the sexual assault was a case of a stranger rape of a vulnerable victim in appalling circumstances.

But Meyboom’s barrister Shane Gill has told the court a review of similar cases shows there is no inadequacy in the sentence.

On the current sentence Meyboom will be eligible for parole in November.